Folding case



Aug. 7, 1923,

J. W. O. ORBAN FOLDING CASE Filed May 18 1922 El Sheets-Sheet 1 H s s M H W ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 7, i923.

pairs were JOSEPH W. 0. ORBAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CASE.

Application filed May 18, 1922. SerialNo. 561,908.

' To a l whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, JosErH WV. 0. ORBAN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New .York, have invented a new and Im proved Folding Case. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has relation to folding cases, crates, or coops which are designed for the purpose of shipping animals, poultry or articles of merchandise, when in set-up condition, and which are designed to be collapsed when empty for the purpose of reshipment whereby the same will occupy a minimum amount of space.

One of the principal objects of the present invention resides in the provision of a folding case orcrate in which all of the elements thereof are permanently connected together in order to prevent loss thereof.

As a further object the invention contemplates in a folding case or crate a plurality of permanently connected elements which coact with one another when the same is set-up to retain .the same in its setup condition and to strengthen and brace the structure.

As a further object the invention contemplates a folding or.collapsible case or crate in which the elements are so associated as to permit of the folding and nesting thereof into a compact article which substantially reduces the amount of space required for its storage or shipment, and which af fords complete protection for the elementsagainst breakage or other damage when empty.

The invention furthermore contemplates a folding case or coop which is comparatively simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture and produce, and which may be readily collapsed or set up.

With the above recited and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction setforth in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the ac companying drawings, it being understood 7 that the right is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illustrated herein to the full extent indicated by the general meaning of the terms in which the claims are expressed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate or coop constructed in accordance with the invention, illustrating the same in its set up condition. I

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. .1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. .4 is a perspective view of the same in collapsed 'or folded condition.

Fig. 5 is a horizontalsectional view therethrough taken approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 4-.

F 6 is a transverse sectional view there through taken approximately on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 77 of Fig. 4.

.F 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken approximately on the line 88 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the case or crate embodies front and rear walls 10 and 11, the former being provided with rearwardlvprojecting end flanges or cleats l2 and the latter with forwardly projecting, end flanges or cleats 13. The. front and rear walls are connected for relative movement toward and away from each other throughthe medium of foldable end walls 14, each of which comprise a pair of; leaf sections 15 having hinged connection with each other at their inner ends by means of hinges 16 and having hinged connection their outer ends respectively with the flanges or cleats 12 and 13 of the front and rear walls by means of hinges 17. Under this arrangement when the leaf sections 15 are swung inwardly to bring their outer faces in parallel relation, the inner faces thereof are disposed in parallel relation with the inner sides of the front and rear walls wherebysaid front and rear walls are advanced toward each other. A bottom wall 18 is hingedly connected at its forward edge by hinges 1.9with the lower portion of the front wall 12 at the inner side thereof. The frontand rear walls are provided with longitudinally extending rabbeted strips 20 and 21 at their inner, lower edges which are designed to reoe1ve 1n. thelr rabbeted portions the front and rear edges of the bottom wall 18 when the crate is in set-up condition. The hinges 19 serve to permitjofthe "swinging of the bottom wall 18 to dispose its up per face in parallel relation to the rear or inner face of the front wall upon collapsing Or folding of the case. A cover or top 22 is hingedly connected at its rear end t'o'the upper edge of the rear wall 11 by means of hinges 23 and the forward free edge thereof is rabbeted as at 24 on its under side to coact with the complementary rab'beted lippe'r and inneredge 25 of the front fwall IQ.

- A vertical partition 26 for dividing the case transversely into longitudinally spacedfco' ii; partments is hingedly connected at its rear edge to the medial portion of the rear wall 11 by means of hinges 27. The front wallis provided with a medial vertical pleat or strip 28 with which the forwardf're'e edge of the partition 26 is adapted fto coact to constitute a limiting stop therefor. The hinges 27 permit of the sw'inging moyenient of thepartition26 to dispose once)": its sides parallel to the inner side of the rear wall 1.1 when collapsing orfoldingthe crate.

The front wall 10 is provided Withlongitu dinally or transversely spaced doorways "or openings 20 which are designed toeconstitute independent entrance or exit passages to the compartments definedv by the partition 26. A door 30 is provided with. each doorway 29 and the same are hinged to the front wall by means of the hinges '31 to permit of the swinging of the same to open or closed position with respect 'tos'aid doorways. Suitablelatch elements 32 are provided "on each door 30 and are designed t coact with keepers33 for securing the doors in closed position. The inner face of one of the doorways is recessed as at 34 has provided therein a keeper element or staple 35 with which the catch orliook 36 carried by the free forward end ofthe partition. 26 is designed to coact for holding the partt tion against casual or accidental pissing when'the case is setup. The forwardend of the cover or top 22 is provided with a latch or hook 37 which is designedto engage and coact with akeeper or eye 38carried by the upper end of the front wall 10 "toflo ck and retain the cover in closed condition, Thcbottom 18'is provided at its upper rear edge with a handleor ring 39 to afford convenient means for swinging said bottom upwardly on its hinges in collapsing the crate,

Assuming the crate or case to be in a setup condition the folding or collapsing of the same is accomplished in the. following manner. After the latch or hook 37 is disengaged from the keeper or eye 38 the'top or cover 22 is swung upwardly and rear- 1 wardly and then downwardly to dispose the same in'rear and parallel to tlie re arwall 11.

The latch or hook 36ot thepartition'2 6 is then disengaged from the keeper or'staple grasped and. the bottom wall is swung upwardly and forwardly into parallel relation with the front wall 10. The leaf sections 15 of the end walls 14 are then folded inwardly to advance the front and rear walls 10 and 11 toward each other and to dispose the leaf sections in parallel relation to each other and to the froht'a'nd rear walls. I

In order to lock and retain the cas or crate the folded. 'condition set forth,. latch elements or hooks 40are' employed which are connected as 41 to the cleats orflanges 13 of the rear wall. The free ends of 'the lajtch 'elementsor hooks 40 are e n d t a e k er r- 4 provided on the cleats or flanges'12' 'ofthefront wall. To retain the't'op 'orfl cove r. infolded condition, a-[keeper element '43 s The y employed which jpreferably consists of a latch r od 44 mounted for sliding and turning movement in a recess '45 in one. ofthe end flanges or cleats 1'3 of 'the i'rear wall. The latch' rod extends through an aperttired cover plate 46 for the recess 45 and the inner end thereof is provided with a pin or head :47 between wl ich'and' said cover plate a coiled contractile spring 48 is interposed."

The "free enter end of the latch red is provided with, aright aingularly bent terminal 49 which is designed tojbetur iied laterally and engaged overthe side edge Cree cover ortop 22. Preferably said cover dr top '22 is grooved or notched as at 50to receive and embrace the terminal49 toprevent dis placement thereof. The spring 48" ffiinctidns to frictionally' maintain the terminal 49 against the top or cover '22 an hold the.

same within thenotch'or groove '50. fl/Yhen not in use the latch; rod is pulled outwardly to diseng'agethe terminal 49 fromthe notch or grcove 50 and is turned laterally whcreby th'e spring will function draw "the terminal 49 into engagement'with thefre'zir face of the flange or cleat 30.

Assn" ing the case or crateto bein collapsed or "folded condition, as ill'ustrzjited in Flg. 4, the setting tip thereof is accomplished in the followingmaiiner: The latchfele ments or books '40 are disengagedfrom the keepers or eyes 42 and the "front and lrear walls are relatively separatedto effect the swinging of the leaf sectionsplfi of theend walls outwardly until said sectionsai'e in lie alignment. The bottom wall thensiviing downwardly on its hinges 1.9'iintil the lower face at] its front and rear edges '3 re received and engaged within 'the' rabb eted strips 20 and 21. The. partition 26 isthe'fn swung rorwnrmyan'd laterally 'uiitil iits free for-' ward edge engages the cleat 28. Thisdis poses the partition transversely across the bottom wall 18 whereby the lower edge of said partition will lock and retain said bo tom wall 18 within the rabbeted strips 20 and 521. The latch or hoolr S6 is then ongaged in the staple or keeper 35. The keeper l8 is then disengaged from the top or cover 22 and said top or cover is swung upwardly, forwardly and downwardly until the rabbeted forwardedge 24 lies within the complementary rabbeted upper edge of the front wall. 'lhe latch or hook 337 is then engaged in the keeper or eye 38.

In its set up condition it will be observed that access may be independently obtained to either compartment defined by the partition 26 by releasing the latches 32 from the keepers 33 whereby the doors may be swung to open position with respect to the doorways.

I claim: v

1. A folding or collapsible container embodying side walls having inwardly projecting rabbeted cleats at their inner and lower edges, inwardly foldable end walls consisting of a pair of sections hinged respectively to said ides at the opposite ends thereof and hinged to each other in par allel relation with the first mentioned hinged connection, a downwardly toldable bottom wall having hinged connection to one of the side walls within the same and adapted to be received within the rabbeted cleats for holding the side tively spaced relation and the end wall sections in alignment and against inward tolding, a partition hingedly connected. at one side with the inner portion of one of the side walls and adapted to be swung to a position transversely of the container with its free edge in abutting relation with the inner side of the opposite side wall and interengageable means carri d by the free edge or'said partition and the opposite side wall with which'itengages for retaining the bartition against movement, said par 'tition conMf-ituting an auxiliary means for holding the side walls in separated relation and for retaining the bottom wall within the rabbeted cleats.

2. A foldingor collapsible container comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls including inwardly foldable sections having a hinged connection with each other at their inner edges and having hinged con- 1 nection at their outer edges respectively with the ends of the opposite side walls, a bottom wall having hinged connection at one side edge to the lower inner side edge of one of the side walls and engageable within the lower side edge of the opposite wall, said bottom wall adapted to fold upwardly in parallel relation with the side walls in relato which the top is hinge wall to which it is hin 'ed, a transverse partition having hinged connection with one o the side walls and engageable at its .free edge with the opposite side wall to normally overlie the bottom wall for holding the same against upward folding, said partition being foldable against the side wall with which it is hinged in parallel relation thereto upon collapsing of the container, a top wall having hinged connection at one of its side edges with the upper side edge of one i of the side walls and adapted when the container is set up to lie within the upper edges of the opposite side wall and the end walls, said top adapted to be swung upwardly, reary-rardly and downwardly to lie in rear of and parallel to the side wall with which it is hingedly connected, and interen Qfable means carried by the side wal adapted upon engagement with each other to hold the container in collapsed condition.

3. A folding or collapsible container comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls including inwardly toldable sections having a hinged connection with each other at their inner edges and having hinged connection at their outer edges respectively with the ends of the opposite side walls, a bottom wall having hinged connection one side'edge to the lower inner side edge of one of the side walls and engageable within the lower side edge of the opposite wall, said bottom wall adapted to fold upwardly in parallel relation with the side wall to which it is hinged, a transverse partition having hinged connection with one or the side walls and engageable at its free edge with the opposite side wall to normally overlie the bottom wall for holding the same against upward folding, said parti tion being foldable against the side wall with which it is hinged in parallel relation thereto upon collapsing of the container, top wall having hinged connection at one of: its side edges with the upper side edge 0t one off the side walls and adapted when t 1e container is set up to lie within the upper edges of the opposite side wall and the end walls, said top adapted to be swung upwardly, rearwardly and downwardly to lie in rear of and parallel to the side wall with which itis hingedly connected. interengageable means carried by the side walls and adapted upon eng ement with each other to hold the container in collapsed condition, and means carried by the side wall and ene'ageable over said hinged. top for holding the same in its parallel folded position with respect to said side wall.

Josnrn w. o. ORBAN. 

